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Making the Web Work: Designing Effective Web Applications (Voices) (Paperback)

by Bob Baxley (Author)

4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Making the Web Work is one of the first books to discuss in detail the unique challenges and issues involved in designing Web-based applications and services. The book tackles this subject on three levels by describing a structured method for prioritizing and categorizing individual design decisions, by offering a detailed analysis of various design options, and by documenting established Web interface conventions. Individual chapters focus on conceptual modeling, task flow, information architecture, navigation, form design, online help, and visual design for Web applications. The book concludes with an in-depth analysis of two well-known consumer applications, Amazon.com and Ofoto.

"Applications are clearly at the heart of the future of web interaction. Bob has created a clear and compelling guide for the creation of web activities that successfully and realistically address people's needs and aspirations." --John Rheinfrank, CEO, seeSpace and Clinical Professor, Kellogg School of Management

"Although a corporation's web site can have a huge impact on their brand, image, and customer satisfaction, the unfortunate reality is that web design is not a well-understood discipline within corporate America. This book makes a compelling case for the importance of web design and provides a comprehensive framework and processes for creating web applications that are both useful and usable. Bob's real-life examples and humor make the book approachable and practical for all professionals involved in the creation of web applications." --Jennifer Bailey, Former SVP, Netscape Communications

From the Back Cover

Making the Web Work is one of the first books to discuss in detail the unique challenges and issues involved in designing Web-based applications and services. The book tackles this subject on three levels by describing a structured method for prioritizing and categorizing individual design decisions, by offering a detailed analysis of various design options, and by documenting established Web interface conventions. Individual chapters focus on conceptual modeling, task flow, information architecture, navigation, form design, online help, and visual design for Web applications. The book concludes with an in-depth analysis of two well-known consumer applications, Amazon and Ofoto.

Product Details

Paperback: 474 pages
Publisher: Sams; 1 edition (November 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0735711968
ISBN-13: 978-0735711969
Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #715,184 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Look Inside This Book

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover

Citations (learn more)

2 books cite this book:

Open Process Frameworks: Patterns for the Adaptive e-Enterprise (Emerging Technologies) by David A. Marca on page 86
What Is Web Design? by Nico Macdonald in Back Matter

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.8 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An impeccably-organized encyclopedia of web design, November 14, 2003

By	Jack Dawson (Boston, MA, USA) - See all my reviews

An impeccably-organized encyclopedia of web design.

If I had to base an entire web design class on a single book this would be the one. Bob Baxley's "Making the Web Work" is easily the most comprehensive manual for applying good design to create a great user experience on the web. This book has both breadth and depth-just look at the table of contents. Regardless of your level of web design proficiency you will find more than your money's worth of useful insight here (even if you have already read just about every other web design book!).

One thing I especially like about this book is that Bob doesn't provide a single solution for a design challenge, but takes time to present and evaluate (pro/con and why) several alternatives. He doesn't just feed you the "right" answers the way Jakob Nielsen does in his "Designing Web Usability." Bob's approach will help you gain a thorough understanding of the options and make informed design decisions.

The two case studies of Amazon and Ofoto included at the end of the book are the most comprehensive I have seen: they're about 30 pages each!

About the only gripe I have is that Bob takes the liberty of using lesser known versions of some terms without providing their more known synonyms. For example, while Lou Rosenfeld and Peter Morville have all but established the terms "ambiguous" and "exact" for the two types of classification schemes, Bob prefers to call them "subjective" and "objective," respectively, without providing the alternative terms. Similarly, "organization scheme" is replaced by "classification scheme", and "organization structure" with "model of association." My IA students have enough difficulty keeping one set of terms straight!

Overall, however, this one serious web design book. Highly recommended. Other books I liked: "Interface Design for Ecommerce Applications" by Paul Gokin (search for this one on the web), "Designing Web Site Interface Elements" by Eric Eaton, and "Submit Now: Designing Persuasive Websites" by Andrew Chak.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and understandable., February 25, 2003

By	Dr. Tom Perkins (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Have you noticed how some web sites are warm, inviting, and easy to use, but using other sites can be a difficult and even frustrating experience? The difference lies in their design, the topic of Bob Baxley's seminal, well-researched book Making the Web Work: Designing Effective Web Applications.

Good design is not a hit-or-miss issue. Mr. Baxley provides a comprehensive, in-depth framework for exploring the nine dimensions of web application design space: the Conceptual Model, the Structural Model, the Organizational Model, Viewing and Navigation, Editing and Manipulation, User Assistance, Layout, Style, and Text. Each layer is presented in an easy-to-understand manner, always from the point of view of what "works" for the user. Mr. Baxley uses examples taken directly from the web to illustrate his points: I found myself returning to some of my favorite sites to see how the designers handled issues ranging from their choice of conceptual model (magazine-style catalogs versus reference-style catalogs) to navigation choices to layout alignment.

This book is much more than just a book on usability, layout, graphics or web page controls. It is rather a comprehensive approach to web application design, thoughtfully and humorously argued, and interspersed throughout with tips and techniques for the would-be designer. Although it would be a great text for a course on advanced web design, it will become a well-thumbed and indispensable addition to every web developer's library.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful and thorough, November 27, 2002

By	Business book lover "fontrevault" (menlo park, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Despite the ubiquity of the internet, the art and craft of designing web applications - defined by the author as a web site that stores and manipulates data unique to each of its users (for example online stores and sites offering financial or other on-line services) - is an evolving field. MAKING THE WEB WORK offers a thorough methodology for anybody tackling such a task, be that the actual designer of a web application, or the product managers and engineers working with (and sometimes without) the designer. Even experienced web application designers will find food for thought.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Deconstructing User Interfaces
Mr. Baxley has an insightful perspective illustrated in his "Universal Model of a User Interface." He simplifies the process of moving from conceptual to concrete interface design... Read more

Published 22 months ago by Leslie Carter

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid information
This book is tattered from referencing it and has many passages underlined. Unlike some usability books it is organized in a manner that moves you through the design problem... Read more

Published on August 9, 2005 by Tess A. Lispi

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource for user researchers!
The back cover of the book states: "Most people involved in the design and specifications of Web applications, whether they're visual designers, engineers, or product... Read more

Published on April 4, 2003 by Danusia Szumowski

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written and coherent
A well-written and coherent overview of the web design process and the specific requirements of web application design. Read more

Published on March 9, 2003 by Lisa W.

5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive look at designing Web-based applications
As a veteran user interface design practitioner and university instructor, I found Bob Baxley's book "Making the Web Work" a valuable addition to my personal reference... Read more

Published on February 13, 2003 by Paul Hibbitts

5.0 out of 5 stars Great design resource
Bob Baxley's book is the best resource I've found about designing web-based applications. He packs in a lot of information, but the book is so well written and organized that it's... Read more

Published on February 10, 2003 by Maureen Kelly

4.0 out of 5 stars Shows you the differences that make a difference
There are many rules to follow as you start the construction of a web page. However, they are still only a starting point, as much of what makes a web page work is in the realm of... Read more

Published on January 26, 2003 by Charles Ashbacher

5.0 out of 5 stars with this kind of guide you will never be lost !
Excellent resource for Web professionals (both beginners and seasoned).

The book takes you step by step on a very structured, methodical, consistent and yet very engaging... Read more

Published on January 13, 2003 by Slava

5.0 out of 5 stars good resource for web application designers
I want to thank Bob for writing this book.
Although there are tons books written about "web site" design,
there are virtually no books written specifically for... Read more

Published on January 6, 2003 by Jisoo Kim

5.0 out of 5 stars A great resource!
This is an excellent survey of the considerations involved in designing interactive Web applications. Read more

Published on January 6, 2003 by Cordell R. Ratzlaff

› See all 15 customer reviews...

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